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Spiritual life at Ananda Our spiritual practices - meditation, yoga, service to others

The inner spiritual life is a profound experience, but not easily achieved in the busy-ness of ordinary life. Yogananda encouraged students to live in an environment supportive of their aspirations. "Environment is stronger than will-power," he often said to his audiences. In fact, Yogananda spoke frequently about the need for cooperative communities like Ananda for this purpose. Ananda residents agree. Spiritual practices are much easier to undertake in an environment where many others share the same ideals. Residents of the Ananda yoga community are nearly all students or disciples of Paramhansa Yogananda. Practices taught by Yogananda include daily meditation, Kriya meditation for those who have completed a period of study and practice in foundational meditation techniques, and the Energization Exercises. Individuals study and practice Raja Yoga, a comprehensive system for spiritual development which includes hatha yoga (postures) as well as the development of inner attitudes of non-violence, truthfulness, contentment, introspection, and devotion, among others. Practice can be individual, or in groups as you wish. Morning meditations are offered in the community temple at 5:30 and 6:30 am each day. Kirtans (chanting) are offered weekly at Ananda's nearby teaching center and place of worship. In-depth classes are also offered on the teachings of Yogananda, Raja Yoga, and the writings of Kriyananda, which provide further understanding and application of Yogananda's teachings.

A place of worship Ananda Sangha of Palo Alto, California

Sangha is Sanskrit for "fellowship" or "gathering of truthseekers." Ananda is Sanskrit for "joy." These ideals together are a beautiful and accurate description of Ananda life. Ananda Sangha describes a group of people, but also of our place of worship and teaching center, just 10 minutes' drive from Ananda Community. Sunday Service takes place weekly at 10 am in a beautifully refurbished Catholic mission-style church. Classes are offered nearly every night, as well as Saturday mornings. Recent Sunday Services in streaming video Inspirational monthly letters from Asha Praver Calendar of events

Spiritual lineage Paramhansa Yogananda and his disciple Swami Kriyananda

Paramhansa Yogananda A message of inner communion In 1920, achievement-oriented Americans met an Indian [from India] who was to change the lives of millions. Paramhansa Yogananda (1893-1952) was sent to this country by his teacher with the admonition, "The West is high in material attainments, but lacking in spiritual understanding. It is God's will that you play a role in teaching mankind the value of balancing the material with an inner, spiritual life." In 1923 he began a series of lectures and classes in major American cities. His success everywhere was extraordinary. Crowds flocked to him in unprecedented numbers, sometimes queuing up for blocks to get in. Unlike most other teachers from India, he never tried to impose his own country's cultural modes on Americans, but sought rather to show Americans how to spiritualize their own culture. Dynamically, and with contagious joy, he set out to persuade minds steeped in the virtues of "down-to-earth practicality" that the most practical course of all is to seek God. His magnetism was irresistible. On January 25, 1927, in Washington, D.C., after a lecture attended by 5,000 people, the Washington Post reported, "The Swami has broken all records for sustained interest." For some time a famous photographer kept a life-size photograph of the Master on the street outside his shop. President Calvin Coolidge received Yogananda at the White House. On April 18, 1926, in New York's famous Carnegie Hall, the Master held a crowd of three thousand spellbound for an hour and a half, repeating with him the simple chant, "O God Beautiful!" which he had translated from the original Hindi of Guru Nanak. That night many in his audience found themselves transported into a state of divine ecstasy. In 1924 Swami Yogananda toured westward across the continent. As he taught and lectured, countless thousands found their lives transformed - not by his words alone, but by his magnetic love, and the sheer radiance of his inner joy. Louise Royston, an elderly disciple who first met him during those early years, described him to me as a man so alive with divine joy that he sometimes actually came running out onto the lecture platform, his long hair streaming out behind him, his orange robe flapping about his body as if with kindred enthusiasm. "How is everyone?" he would cry. "Awake and ready!" came the eager response, in which he led them. "How feels everyone?" Again the shout: "Awake and ready!" Only in such a charged atmosphere was he willing to talk about God, Whom he described as the most dynamic, joy-inspiring Reality in the universe. Dry, theoretical lectures were not for him. He had not come to America to philosophize, but to awaken in people an ardent love for God, an urgent longing to know Him. The forceful, inspiring personality of this teacher from India utterly captivated his audiences. (Above, excepted from Swami Kriyananda's The Path). Yogananda's legacy includes a significant body of teaching and writings. Most well-known is Autobiography of a Yogi, a classic which has been translated into 19 languages and been read by millions worldwide. But he has provided another kind of legacy: his disciples. Through these living disciples, Yogananda continues to touch and guide the lives of those who seek his wisdom.

Yogananda's direct disciple, Swami Kriyananda (J. Donald Walters) There are only a handful of direct disciples still living today, among them J. Donald Walters (Swami Kriyananda). Swami is the founder of Ananda and a direct disciple of Yogananda since 1948. He has devoted his life to living according to God's will, and in particular, fulfilling his guru's personal instructions to him. Kriyananda founded Ananda in 1968 as the fulfillment of Yogananda's lifelong dream, to establish intentional communities for householders (non-monastics) who desired to devote themselves more fully to the spiritual life. He has guided the spiritual development of thousands of students of Yogananda's teachings, lectured nearly continuously for more than 50 years, and written numerous books in the spiritual life that have touched millions. He has also written some 300 pieces of inspirational music which you can hear at worship services and many Ananda events. Kriyananda lived at Ananda Village, the first and largest cooperative community, from 1968 until 1990. He was invited to live near the Ananda Assisi community and retreat in Italy in 1996, and settled there for 7 years, teaching and lecturing regularly, while continuing to write. In 2003, he responded to a soul call from many old and new students of Yogananda's in India, and moved to New Delhi to establish a center for Yogananda's work. Yogananda, himself, had long planned this journey, several times asking Kriyananda to accompany him, but the time was never quite right. In the great mix of east and west taking place in India today, a westerner is bringing the ancient teachings of India back to the home of its birth, and being greeted with enthusiasm by Indians who wish to renew their practice and understanding of Yoga. More about Swami Kriyananda. Or you may wish to read his autobiography, The Path.

Spiritual Directors for Ananda Sangha in Palo Alto Asha and David Praver Asha and David serve as the spiritual directors for Ananda Sangha in Palo Alto, and are life-long students of Swami Kriyananda. They received their training directly from Swami in the 1970s and 80s at Ananda Village near Nevada City. They have served a large congregation of devotees from throughout the San Francisco Bay area since 1987. and live in the Ananda Community in Mountain View. Asha leads most worship services on Sunday, along with a team of long-time disciples and ministers. You can view streaming videos of services. The teaching staff and ministers also periodically lead service, as well as teaching a full schedule of classes, leading weekly chanting, and providing personal and spiritual counseling. Calendar of events at Ananda Sangha of Palo Alto. Or contact the Sangha to receive a program guide by mail.

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